Simply Jack
by FanfictionFixation827
Summary: This tells the perspective of Jack and Shepard's love through her perspective. It takes you to life during and after the final battle with the Reapers. Rated T for language.
1. Chapter 1

***Review Once Done, being critical is Welcomed. Enjoy.***

**It's Hard to Love Your Enemies When They Keep Killing Everything You Love.**

"Ugh, you have got to be kidding me," Jack said as she picked herself off the ground, "I honestly believe that I would have been better off in that prison." It has been three weeks now since she has been in London and honestly she feels like it has been three weeks too long. She had no intention of making this battle her own, but Shepard needed her and who was she to deny the love of her life. She hadn't seen Shepard since he took her out dancing on the Citadel, they spent at the most an hour together, and even that hour was not enough for Jack. She wanted to tell him so much, she wanted to do so much before they headed back to Earth; but he was so busy and she didn't want to seem needy or weak for wanting him around, so sadly that hour was all she could ask of him. But now those beautiful moments seem like years away, and she would give anything to just have him near her, holding her, telling her that everything would be okay.

However, she doubted that it truly would be okay. This war has made itself something beyond what anyone expected and honestly, Crucible or not, she truly doubted that they would make it. Despite the Turians, the Asaris, and the Salarians help, people were dying from left to right at an alarming rate, and all of this "uniting the galaxy" for this war was doing was nothing but uniting them in death. Negative yes, but true, as she looked around she felt that there would be absolutely no chance to survive this battle. Don't get her wrong the barriers were holding but if the students would have to keep the barriers up for a few moments longer, it would be hard for them to recover when time asked of it.

"Rodriguez, keep that barrier up!" Jack yelled.

"In a moment mam," Rodriguez yelled.

A Batarian was running the soldier's way and if Rodriguez didn't put up barrier, he would be dead in a matter of seconds. Jack looked to the solider; maybe she could throw a barrier his way, and her soldiers still needed protection.

"Rodriguez, put up that barrier," Jack yelled.

Rodriguez continued to look at the Batarian. _What the hell? _Jack thought, was Rodriguez in shock or just plain stupid?

"Rodriguez, listen to me you need to—,"Jack was silenced by shock.

Rodriguez all in once second bought back up a barrier for her solider in one hand and threw a throw in the direction of the attacking Batarian, ripping his shoulder-head off of his body. Jack stood dumbfounded. The rest of the attacking Batarians came to a halt in the run looked at one another and slowly back away from the perimeter. _Shit. _

"Jacqueline Nought?!" a solider screamed.

Jacked turned around.

"Jacqueline Nought," the solider repeated.

"It's Jack, dumb ass. What do you want?"

"We have a Commander Shepard, from the headquarters, looking for you," answered the solider.

_It's about time he came back._ Jack turned around to look at the perimeter, looks like Rodriguez had pushed all of the Batarians back, it would be a while before they decided to rush in again.

"Everyone, go back to the main tent and rest up, be back in five, they're not just going to sit on their asses because Rodriguez gave them a little scare."

Jacked looked at Rodriguez and gave her a wink. She then turned her back and started walking toward the tent that they set up for communications.

She activated the console, she saw nothing at first, and no one appeared. Then a pixilated picture of a silhouette she knew all too well.

"Shepard? Shepard is that you?"

Instantly the picture cleared and she was able to see the person she only fought to see.

"Jack, how are you guys?" he replied.

She loved to hear his voice.

"Good so far," she replied although she knew it was a lie "we're south of your position. Rodriguez ripped the shoulder-head off one of those Batarian things."

Jack thought for a second about how proud she truly was to see Rodriguez do that.

"It was great," Jack said.

"I'll see you on the other side," Shepard responded.

"Don't get killed dumb ass," _please don't die,_ "When this is over, I'm getting laid," _when this is over maybe we can truly be together._

"I love you too Jack," Shepard said.

As she savored his words the connection between her and Shepard were cut and she had to once again fight a battle that separated her from the one she loved.

"Okay guys out of the tent, your break is over," Jacked yelled.

Everybody stopped fighting and started to cheer. Shepard had taken down the Repear and given them more time apart from its lasers.

"Everyone, the Crucible is on the move, I repeat the Crucible is on the move," the solider from communications yelled.

_Good,_ Jack thought.

"What about Shepard, any word on him?" Jack questioned.

"Yeah, he and Captain Anderson are heading for the Citadel."

"The Citadel, how the hell is he going to get there?"

"I don't know mam."

Great just what she needed, for Shepard to keep playing hero. She was proud of him but it was beginning to grow tired. He was always willing to put the great of the good ahead of himself, but this was not the time. He shouldn't need to go up there and pick a fight with whoever the hell was waiting. This battle was already unclear and _he_ being up there wasn't helping her nerves. His selfness was beautiful; he showed it a thousand times. He showed it back with Sovereign/Saren, he showed it back in the Collectors Base, and he definitely showed it when he took his time to help everyone with their issues while working with Cerberus. And he is showing it now with taking down the Reapers, the problem is though it was beautiful, she could see what everyone including Shepard could not, his selfness was ultimately going to get him killed.

"Rodriguez, dammit your barrier," Jack yelled.

Nothing was really wrong with Rodriguez's barrier but Jack had to keep herself talking, she had to keep the feeling of being in control. It's had been an hour since Shepard and Captain Anderson had made their way to Citadel and an hour of being dark on their conditions.

"Have you heard anything about Shepard?" she yelled to the communication advisor.

"Not yet—wait." He replied.

He threw his hand up to his ear to get a better listen, and then his eyes shot down as if it pained him to hear what he heard.

"What? What's that look mean?" Jack asked.

"The ground team," he looked away "the ground team was taken down by a Reaper."

Jack was now all body and no mind. She was moving yes, keeping barriers, throwing biotic powers whenever it was needed but that was just instincts. She wasn't thinking because all she continued to hear was Shepard is dead.

"Ms. Nought? Ms. Nought? Jack!" the solider yelled.

Jack was thrown back into reality. She looked at the communication advisor.

"Reports are saying that one—no two people have made it to the Citadel."

"What?" she whispered.

But as if he read her mind he spoke up louder.

"Commander Shepard might be alive," he yelled.

Shepard might be alive, she kept thinking, that dumb ass might have survived after all. _Thank god._

The solider telling her that Shepard might be alive was all that she needed. When it came to Shepard there was never a "might" it was always it is or it isn't; and she knew Shepard, there was no way he came this far just to let another solider finish the battle he started. He was up there and he was actually going to win this. Since she was given the good news, Jack and her body remained one. She hadn't for a second let it move on its own. She allowed herself to think, and in doing so, she thought of her future with Shepard now that the war would be won, she could imagine anything.

She wanted to have a life with him, maybe find a house on the Citadel. She hated to admit it but she loved it there, the peace bought the ease she ultimately needed. She wanted kids for sure, hell she would even adopt Rodriguez if she could once this all ended. And she definitely wanted to be his wife. A life with him would be the best thing for her now and now that she had gotten him she didn't attend to let him go. She wanted—

"Look," Rodriguez screamed pointing towards the sky.

Jack looked up.

"The Crucible is working."

Jack smiled. _Well damn, he did it, Shepard really did it._

Jack's smile deflated and she spun around.

"What is the status check on Shepard?" she asked.

Despite the Crucible working the enemies still remained to breach the perimeter, which was easy being that everyone was too distracted by the sight of the Crucible to fight a moment longer. Jack threw a couple of throws and maintained the barrier of soldiers.

"What is the status check on Shepard?" she repeated but this time she demanded an answer.

The husks were still running into the perimeter.

"Dammit. What is his status?" she spoke slowly.

The communication advisor looked up.

"Mam, Commander Shepard has been reported dead," he finally replied.

At that moment Jack could feel her heart break into a million pieces and she had no clue where to start repairing it or if she would ever want it to be repaired. The truth was Shepard was the only person to care enough to fix it after Cerberus broke it, and now they have managed to ruin it again. Except this time they did not break her heart, they destroyed it.

Jack hadn't paid attention to the soldiers' barrier and she hadn't bothered to throw anymore husk. She only noticed she stopped fighting when she saw a green light pouring in from the distance and the husk who threw her back.

Jack woke up to the smell of the room, it smelled of paste, mothballs, and a hint sadness therefore she knew that she was in the hospital; which means that she sadly survived the blow made by the husk, she had hoped he killed her, but no such luck. She didn't want to open her eyes, plus she could feel that someone had been watching her. If she opened her eyes they would only want to talk and that was the last thing she wanted to do. If she woke up, she would wake up to the reality that Shepard did not survive. She would face the reality that they were never going to have that house on the Citadel or even have a child of her own. She would have to face to waking in the warmth of her sheets instead of his arms and she would wake up to the reality that he died being selfless. That was not a reality that she wanted nor was she going to accept it.

Her anger spurred up her biotics a little and whoever was watching, was watching her close enough to notice.

"Jack," the voice asked.

It was that voice that forced her eyes open; it was that voice that bought hope back into her life once more. It was that voice who gave her happiness, love, and repaired her heart again just like he did before.

"Shepard?"

"Hey," he happily replied.

-End Of Chapter One-


	2. Chapter 2

**Dying and Staying Dead Can Be Pretty Hard, (Especially If Your Name is Shepard)**

"Shepard?" she asked once more.

"Hey Jack," Shepard responded he leaned forward onto her bed.

Jack froze; she couldn't fathom the possibility that he was really there sitting in her room and saying her name. Jack tightly closed her eyes and started to do something that she had never done before: pray.

"Oh, if there is really a god you would stop fucking around with me like this. Just please, _please_ make him go the hell away in 3…2…1." Jack whispered.

Jack waited a couple more second before she opened her eyes, but when she opened them he was sadly still there.

"Should I, should I leave Jack," he asked questionably "Do you not want me here? Did I do something wrong?"

She was in shock, how could he not have known what he did. He died for goodness sake, and now he had the nerve to come back and haunt her. She loved the man yes, but she had no intention of ending up in the looney bin whispering about how the love of her life refuses to "rest in peace". Nope that wouldn't be her and she was going to do what all the other crazies being haunted never did; she was going to tell him to go away.

"What do you mean have you done something wrong?" Jack replied.

Shepard looked completely lost.

"You died dumb ass," Jack yelled.

Shepard smiled one of those charming smiles Jack knew all too well. And for a second she wish she didn't have to wish him gone.

"Yeah Jack, I think the world knows I died. But that was a while ago, and I don't see why you would be mad, that was long before we met," Shepard responded.

Jack scoffed. Shepard actually believed that she was talking about the repair that Cerberus had done on him a while back. Was he one of those ghosts who didn't really know they were a ghost until they ran walked through a wall, or attended their own funeral or something. Or was he purposely trying to mess with her. Either way it needed to end quickly, the quicker the better it would be for the both of them. Well at least she hoped it would be.

"Okay Shepard, I guess I have to say this twice because obviously dying has made you brain damaged or something. Back on the Citadel there was a report that you died, you didn't make the launching of the Crucible, the damn thing killed you." Jack said.

Shepard looked at her questionably like he couldn't understand what she was saying.

"_You_. _Died_. Dumb ass. I hate to say it but you did. So go on, go off into the light and live with the angles or whatever the hell they call them," Jack said as she shooed him away with one hand.

Shepard laughed and leaned closer to Jack, but this time he took her hand.

"Okay first all they are angels, okay? _Angels_. And secondly, you have said what you wanted to say twice, but I am only going to say this once. I am_ not _dead. The Crucible didn't kill me, when I synthesized organics and synthetics, the shot somehow launched me back to Earth. Luckily not too far from a couple of soldiers, they found me barely breathing and they bought back here. It took me a while to wake up, but it took you longer, the doc said I could leave my room to see you; but only if I agreed to not sneak out and take my medicine." Shepard replied.

Jack couldn't believe what she was hearing, but it had to be true. What he was saying sounded real and his hands felt real and warm. God were they warm, her grip of his hand grew tighter because if what he was saying was true, she would never let him go again. She looked up from their hands to the face of her love. His skin had contained more than its fair shares of bruises, despite the scar on his chin and near his nose, which she suspected he gotten from the Blitz, a scar that started from his right cheek and stopped at the bottom of his neck had been added to his collection of war wounds. His bottom lip had been busted and under his eyes had bags indicating he hadn't slept for days. Through the bruises, Jack could also see that his skin, and her skin, had been glowing the same type of green she saw pouring in before the husk.

Shepard looked absolutely terrible, but he was alive. And that's all she really wanted. Jack grabbed Shepard into a hug; this is where he belonged, where they belonged, within each other's arms. Jack pulled slightly out of Shepard embrace, enough to see his face but not enough for him to let her go.

"Wait, if you were shot out of the Crucible how did you manage to wake up before me," Jack asked.

"They said the husk hit you so hard that it threw you back a couple of yards into the communication tent. You slammed into the computers and your head broke your fall," Shepard replied "They had to induce you into a medical comma."

"But you were shot from the Crucible, you still should have been worse off," Jack argued.

Jack hadn't known why she wanted to make an argument of their injuries or even why she cared about who was better than whom.

"Yeah, and I would have been if I hadn't already been part synthetic when all of it occurred," Shepard responded "okay Jack, enough questions."

Shepard released Jack out of his hold and stood up along the side of the bed. Despite his bruises and cuts he looked like he had been moving around pretty well. Maybe his synthetics really did work wonders on his injuries because despite the look of his face, Jack would have never noticed that he had been hurt at all.

"Give me your hand." Shepard demanded.

Jack hesitated, though she hadn't felt much of the need to remain in the hospital bed, she hadn't moved around much to access her injuries. Shepard did say that she crashed into the communication tent and she was in no mood to feel the effects of doing so.

"Couldn't I get a wheel chair or something; you know just in case I am too sore to walk," Jack questioned.

"Come on give me your hand, nothing hurts here." Shepard responded.

Jack wondered what that meant, what he truly meant when he said "nothing hurts here". Had he meant nothing hurts in the hospital or had nothing hurt because she had healed the whole during the coma? Or had nothing hurt because—

"Jack, hand," Shepard said with his hand held open.

Jack placed her hand within his, and that was all she needed to stop her questionable mind. She slowly removed her body from the hospital bed, but with every inch she noticed that she hadn't felt an ounce of pain at all. Shepard was right nothing did hurt and she didn't care to know why. She and Shepard left her room not caring to look back at the bed she lied in. As they walked, she only kept her eyes on Shepard and no one and nothing else. As if he could feel that she had been staring at him Shepard looked at Jack. His eyes scanned her face once again before looking straight and making an "hmmm" sound.

"What," asked Jack.

"Oh nothing," Shepard replied with a sly smirk.

Jack nudged Shepard's shoulder with her own.

"Come on Boy Scout, what?" Jack asked jokingly.

"Nothing I'm just not used to seeing your hair down or that gold earring out of your ear. That's all." Shepard said.

"What earring?" Jack asked shocked.

She threw one hand up to her ear and the other up to her hair, releasing Shepard's hand. She hadn't really cared about her hair being down, but she did care about the "earring" Shepard was referring to. It wasn't an earring it was a biotic amplifier and though she hated that she still needed something that was given to her by Cerberus; she couldn't deny that it was essential.

"Dammit, that was my amplifier," Jack stated, "wait here Shepard, I'll go back and get it."

"Jack, it's not that big of a deal. You won't need to fight anything here; we're at the hospital come on." Shepard responded.

"Yeah I might not need it but hey why not, right." Jack responded walking away.

"Jack we are only a few feet from where I'm trying to take you makes no sense to go back now, plus I'm pretty sure once they notice that you are out of bed they are going to make you go back," Shepard said trying to grab for Jack's hand.

Jack pulled her hand back.

"_Hold on_, Shepard it shouldn't take long." Jack responded.

She had no clue why he was acting so weird now. She just wanted to get her biotic amplifier and whether it was needed or not she wanted to make sure that she had it near. As Jack got closer to her door, she noticed that Shepard had joined her side again.

"I know that you really want that amplifier and I can't stop you from trying to get it—"

"You're right you can't," Jack responded.

"But I think that you should know that when you open the door it's not what you think. And because it's not what you think, I think that you should just wait. You know? Just wait to get your amplifier, when I told you 'nothing hurts here', I met nothing can hurt you here too." Shepard replied.

They had now reached Jack's door.

"Shepard what the fuck are you talking about?" Jack angrily asked.

"I can't tell you what I'm talking about, I can only show you. So let's just walk back down the hall, you will know sooner enough."

Shepard grabbed for her hand and once again Jack pulled it back.

"No I am not going anywhere with you until you tell me what the hell is going on." Jack furiously replied.

Shepard put his hand up to his head in frustration.

"Jack I can't—,"Shepard replied.

"Then fine, I'm going back in," Jack responded.

Jack opened the door of her room and saw her biotic amplifier sitting on the counter and near the counter she found her unconscious body resting in the bed. Jack froze; she could hear Shepard sigh from behind her.

"Shepard," Jack asked still standing near the door, her eyes not wavering from the bed.

"Yes, Jack?" he replied.

"What the hell is happening?"


	3. Chapter 3

_This is exactly what I didn't want to happen, _he thought, _it wasn't supposed to be like this. _

Shepard felt his heart race while looking at the love his life slowly but surely lose her sanity. Well, what little she had left. He didn't want her to discover their unfortunate circumstance, well not until he would have decided on what he would do about it. Those people had him and Jack there for a reason and he was in no rush to see what that the rest of that reason had been; if he was to go back they would have wanted more. They always want more, but with Jack here he had no reason to go back to the hell of their realities. He just needed more time, he always needed more time.

"Shepard," Jack asked still standing near the door, her eyes not wavering from the bed.

"Yes, Jack?" he replied.

"What the hell is happening?"

There were two ways Shepard could do this; he could tell Jack the truth and hope that she would understand and choose him. Or he could lie, at least long enough to give himself time to discover what he wanted to do.

"Shepard?" Jack questioned, this time her voice sounding of nothing but a whisper.

He wanted to answer Jack, he wanted to tell her everything that she needed and wanted to know, so that her mind would be at ease. But how could he give her the luxury of putting her mind to rest when all his had been doing was running constantly in the same circle. All he could do now was repeat the last two days in his head over and over again hoping for a way out.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXX

"_Commander Shepard," the voice called._

_Shepard didn't want to wake up, it would have been just like it had been before, with him waking up into a world that asked too much of him. A world that bought him back solely to become a "hero"; which in his terms meant nothing more than a walking mat. He was too tired and honestly he had no more pride or strength to fight for the Alliance anymore. So he planned to lay there and sleep, at least until he felt well enough to care. _

"_Shepard we know that you are awake."_

_The voice now sounded familiar, but he didn't care. Shepard thought that it was evident that by him pretending to sleep the voice would have caught the clue to go away. After all, he did just save the world. The least they could have done was allowed him to pretend for as long as he liked. _

"_Okay, Commander. I guess you don't care about the well-being of you and your beloved Jack."_

_Shepard's eyes jumped open. It was one thing to mess with him but it was another to bother Jack, forget the fact that Jack could kill them with a flick of her biotics but once Shepard got his hands on them it would be nothing left for her to kill. Shepard looked into the face of the man who had been talking to him; and he now understood why the voice had sounded so familiar. It was the voice of his fallen comrade Kaiden Alenko. The voice that haunted him so well. Shepard jumped to his feet, expecting to feel the pain of the battle but he felt nothing, only incandescent happiness and relief. He grabbed Alenko into a hug. Shepard was happy to be able to see his friend again to hear his voice, to see him breathe. Well, Shepard was happy until he thought of the last words Kaiden had said before he decided to open his eyes. Shepard released Kaiden and threw his body onto the floor._

"_What the hell gives you the right to threaten Jack, huh? Shouldn't you be dead?" Shepard barked._

_Kaiden chuckled and picked himself of the floor._

"_You of all people Shepard should know how hard it is to stay dead these days," Kaiden said dusting his pants off. _

"_What do you want Kaiden?" Shepard questioned._

"_Wow, what do I want? How about a "hi" or "hello" or the infamous "Hey, long time no see," Kaiden cockily responded._

_Shepard was unfazed, he was in no mood for jokes, or Kaiden's sarcasm. Kaiden continued to stare back, waiting for Shepard to react so he could avoid the question. But he reached no such luck. _

"_I have been sent here to give you two options for your future. I don't want anything, I just want to help," Kaiden replied._

_Shepard looked hesitantly at Kaiden, what he was saying didn't sound as much of a threat and his face held some sincerity, but he wasn't buying, not too soon. _

"_Help? I don't need any help Kaiden, and as far as I can tell I have more than just two sorry options to consider." _

"_But you haven't even heard the option that I have to offer." Kaiden replied. _

"_And I don't plan on it. I believe that you are full of shit and a lunatic for dying and telling no one that you weren't actually dead," Shepard angrily responded before he started to leave. _

_As he started to head for the door Kaiden called out to Shepard._

"_Have you wondered yet on why your eye doesn't hurt? Or have you wondered why you no longer have the wound from the Crucible? Or even why I am back? Look around Shepard you aren't where you think you are, you're with me in another world, another realm. Shepard do me a favor and look around. Your home is being threatened and some things aren't over yet, and it is up to you to stop it." Kaiden responded._

_Shepard looked around. Kaiden was right. He had been in the hospital but this was nothing like Huerta. It was duller, quiet, and most of all empty. He felt no pain and all of this bruises and injuries had been healed. Kaiden was right. Shepard looked up at Kaiden._

"_I'm not stopping anything."_

_Kaiden open his mouth to speak but was a quickly interrupted by Shepard's hand going up to stop him._

"_No. I am not fixing shit for any of you people, I have done everything and anything that you have asked for. It's never enough. You have taken my life, everything I loved, and my sanity and you think that I am going to do it again? No. Screw you and your damn horse you rod in on, I'm done Kaiden. Done." _

_Shepard stood staring at Kaiden silently waiting for a response. Kaiden raised his eyebrows in response._

"_Oh, are you done," Kaiden said leaning against the wall. "Nice speech Shepard, really it wasn't your best but it is one for the books."_

"_I am not joking Kaiden!"_

"_And I don't think you are Shepard! That's the part that I don't get. Man I knew you were stubborn but I never took you for stupid. Have you processed anything that I have said, huh? Anything?"_

_Shepard met Kaiden's glare. _

"_I said your home is in danger Shepard, that means you and Jack and that beautiful home that you two were creating is gone. It's dead. Joker, Garrus, Ash, Chakwas, Liara, and everything gone. Disappearing as we speak if you don't do something. You have two options Shepard…it's up to you if you want to hear them," Kaiden looked back to Shepard with agony in his eyes._

_Shepard could see that Kaiden had become affected by the task he had to get Shepard to make. He could see that his tough guy exterior was not going to help what the situation was, and most importantly he wanted to make sure Jack was okay. _

_Shepard nodded. "I'm listening."_

"_Good. First you should know that Jack is here. She has not yet woken up and she is not going to, not until they are ready-"_

"_Who is 'they'?"_

"_Who 'they' are right now, doesn't matter. Just know that they have the power to wake her up or not. They also have the power to keep you and I asleep. Anyway, she is the key here Shepard. You for once are just a token. We need her to agree to wake up, back to the real world. We need her to set things right."_

_Shepard chuckled. "You really think that Jack is going to 'set things right'. We are talking about the same person right, the same reformed sailor-mouthed convict with a buzzed haircut and pony tail? That Jack?" _

_Kaiden stared at Shepard waiting for his joking to subside._

"_Sorry, continue."_

_Kaiden rolled his eyes. "Yes, that Jack. She has the ability to fix what's left after the war. The problem is, she wouldn't want to take on the task. And that's where you come in. Give her one of your hoorah speeches, a smile, and a seal of approval and after some time she will decide to do as told. And option two, you tell her nothing and she can stay here with you. She can live a content life here with you in this realm. You guys can have everything you ever wanted and will ever need here. Away from the danger and the harm of the real world. You guys can finally have the life you wanted."_

"_Wait, why Jack of all people? And why do you say that she has the option to have a life here with me as if it is the only option. As if she and I living in the real world is impossible," Shepard replied._

"_Shepard," Kaiden looked into Shepard's eyes "this is your only option. This is the only world for you, as of yesterday you ceased to exist in that world. It seems like Jack and you in the real world is impossible because it is impossible. The Crucible killed you. As of yesterday Shepard you are dead." _

_Shepard stepped back, now feeling sick to his stomach. He remembered the Crucible throwing him back onto Earth but he also remembered waking up. Kaiden couldn't be right._

"_I can't be dead," Shepard whispered. "I woke up."_

_Kaiden nodded his head, "You did wake up, but you died from your injuries moments later. It would have felt as if you went back to sleep."_

_Shepard couldn't grasp his head around the situation, a week ago he had been getting a tattoo from Jack, he had been dancing with her on the Citadel, playing next to her within the Arena, and just yesterday he was standing in QEC talking to Jack about starting a future with her. Now just as quickly as it came, it all ended just as fast. He wouldn't be able to call Jack his own and he damn sure wouldn't be able to have a life with her. Not anymore._

"_Now that you are dead the citizens will turn on everything you and I have believed in. The Alliance will be rendered helpless and the Council will be worse. Eventually everyone will turn their back on the only leadership worth bringing the governments together. Wars will break out and civilizations will be lost. Jack is the only one to save it because who better to trust than the one Commander Shepard himself chose to call his own. Jack will be seen as a reflection of you and your word. Everyone will gladly follow behind her. You have the options to have Jack go back into the world and move on. Or stay here and create a life with her. The choice is up whether you let her go or not. Just know that each choice has its own consequence, just one sacrifice will be bigger than the other."_

_Kaiden turned and walked out the room leaving Shepard with unanswered questions. Shepard ran after Kaiden only to find the hall empty. _

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXX_

"Shepard!"

Shepard was knocked out of his trance only to see Jack continuing her melt down. He needed to claim her down, he needed to reassure her that everything would be okay. He made a mistake and allowed Jack to go back to the room and now this was his mess to clean up. He knew what he needed to do, no more running around aimlessly; Shepard now found the path he wanted go on. This choice had now been way easier than it was when he was given his two options. He would try what he thought would be best. He would tell Jack nothing about the war and destruction that would soon consume their worlds, he would tell her nothing about the deaths, he would tell her nothing more than what he wanted her to know. Shepard decided that he wanted Jack for himself and a life for them both.

He decided that he would lie.


End file.
